Etymograph

English

synchronise

Synchronise comes from Ancient Greek συγχρονίζω ‘take the same time’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *sem- ‘one, whole’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-1‘one, whole’root named by Wiktionary
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσῠ́γχρονος2
  3. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσυγχρονίζω1sunkhronízō‘take the same time’
  4. Englishtodaysynchronise1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English synchronise
  2. 2 Wiktionary, Ancient Greek συγχρονίζω

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-Wiktionary, English synchronise‘one, whole’root named by Wiktionary
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσῠ́γχρονοςWiktionary, Ancient Greek συγχρονίζω
  3. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσυγχρονίζωWiktionary, English synchronisesunkhronízō‘take the same time’
  4. EnglishtodaysynchroniseWiktionary, English synchronise

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *sem- ‘one, whole’

some, same, single, similar, simple, simply, seem, soft, sam, simulation, sincerely, singular, resemble, simultaneous, assemble, anomaly, simulate, resemblance, sincerity, assimilate, anomalous, semblance, homeopathic, homology, hyphen, insincere, simile, synapse, simulacrum, homolog, sempre, 46 more

Today it means

verb —

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “synchronise”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entry for Ancient Greek συγχρονίζω. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sem- / synchronise

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